Jesus Made the Father's Word Appear in the Flesh (Christmas Day, 2011)

What Did Jesus Do?

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the just decrees of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Psalm 19:7-10

Do you know the first person to spend so much on Christmas that, after giving his gift, he had nothing at all left? God, the Father. Think about what the Father gave the world on Christmas. I believe that if someone had come to the Father the next day and asked him for something, the Father would have had to say, “I’m sorry, I just gave all I had to my beloved ones. I’ve got nothing left to give.” So, though I don’t recommend it, and know firsthand the pitfalls of overspending for Christmas, I believe that there is divine precedent for going “all out” to bless those we love by giving to the max at Christmas.

But, before we empty our bank accounts, and run up all our credit cards, we need to think about the gift that the Father gave. You see, for his gift to us God didn’t go to a mall, or order anything over the internet, which may be another divine precedent for Christmas which we should pay close attention to. When we take a careful, close look at what the Father gave the world at Christmas, we see that it was his Word, his Word come to life, made flesh so that the Word should come and dwell among us in order we might be blessed by all its grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Of course, years before Christmas, the Father had already spoken his Word, “at many times and in many ways” (Hebrews 1:1), to patriarchs, prophets, and psalmists. As the author of Psalm 19 beautifully expressed it long before the Word became flesh, the Word of the LORD is “perfect… sure… right… pure… clean… true” (Psalm 19:7-9)—to borrow from the folks at Master Card, God’s Word is “priceless”—more desirable than gold, sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:10). Yet, as matchless and wonderful as the Word of the Father was, his children didn’t truly get it, because they didn’t truly get him. So, the Father appointed the day when his Word would leap off the pages of Scripture and literally come alive!

The Word of God would no longer merely speak to us. From the moment that Mary delivered her firstborn son, the Word would forever reach out and touch us. The Word would touch our blind eyes so that we should truly see (John 9:6). The Word would touch our deaf ears so that we should truly hear (Mark 7:33). The Word would command all evil afflictions to leave us, and take us by the hand and lift us up so that we should be truly free (Mark 9:27). The Word would multiply what little we have so that many should be truly filled (Matthew 14:13-21). The Word would give eternal life to those doomed to die; the Word would be eternal life, to all who truly know him (John 6:68; John 17:3). The Word would truly be the way for all who are lost, the truth for all who are deceived, and the life for all who are perishing (John 14:6).

So, the Father having granted us all another Christmas to celebrate, there is one gift we can and must proclaim and give to the world today, and throughout the entire year: the matchless and sublime “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing”—Jesus Christ the Lord. If we would truly bless others, truly lavish love upon them, there is really only one possible gift to give. Share the gift of the Father’s only Son, Jesus, who made the Father’s Word come to life.

May the Father bless you and all those whom you love in and through Jesus; may the Father highly favor you in and through the knowledge and love of Christ; may the Father position you to prosper in and through the gift of his Word made Flesh.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4